Hard to find cigars

[Isaac]

So I am browsing various places to buy cigars. I come across some classified ads that have some harder to find single sticks at better prices. I was about to pull the trigger when I thought that perhaps I didn't need them. One and done? Is it truly better to have loved and lost then to never loved at all?  I'm still debating the purchase, but it had me thinking that perhaps my money would be better spent on cigars that are more readily available. 

I would like to hear your thoughts on this. 

[Benzopyrene]

Once you go down that rabbit hole theres no turning back. Take it from someone who knows. 

[Arkcigar]

I think better to have tried and enjoyed, if you decide to share where you found them feel free to pm me


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[Isaac]

5 minutes ago, Benzopyrene said:

Once you go down that rabbit hole theres no turning back. Take it from someone who knows. 

So I take it you like to buy the hard to finds. Don't you feel "depressed" smoking that one cigar knowing you won't get to smoke it again?  Or do you just enjoy the moment?

[investandprosper]

If it's one I've had before, like the Boli CE, I'd jump on it.  If it's a new-to-me stick, I'd pass.  Rekindling old flames is a rare experience once a cigar has been discontinued.

[NSXCIGAR]

My blanket advice is to only buy what you know. There's a lot of vintage (1998-2010) crap out there, and provenance and storage conditions are always a concern. I've been burned on quite a bit of late 90s to mid-2000s stuff that I didn't have direct experience with so I stopped buying vintage that I haven't personally smoked around that time as I don't have unlimited resources. Needless to say, it's very hard to find late 90s Bolivar or RyJ Ex 4 for good reason. It's great stuff and is long gone.

Then again, singles are far less risky. If you want to take that chance, I'd say what the hell. You'll be out what, 20 or 30 bucks? And you might hit a great one and can buy more. 

[fabes]

20 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Then again, singles are far less risky. If you want to take that chance, I'd say what the hell. You'll be out what, 20 or 30 bucks? And you might hit a great one and can buy more. 

To clarify, I believe you are referring to the price being less of a risk on a single stick versus a whole box. In both situations the performance of (and storage conditions throughout its life) the cigar is still a gamble. 

I think there is a fine line when the thrill of the hunt becomes more enjoyable than the actual cigar. Which was a red flag for me. Something "special" every now and then is always fun. I'm glad for the pair of Partagas Lonsdales I bought and shared with a close friend. Only time I've tried that cigar and it was a fun experience. Glad to have tried out a pair rather than shelling out for a whole box. On the other hand... the Edmundo Dantes Conde 54 I paid more than wanted to just to try it ended up being a wind tunnel and overall crappy cigar. 

[NSXCIGAR]

On 6/4/2017 at 4:39 PM, fabes said:

To clarify, I believe you are referring to the price being less of a risk on a single stick versus a whole box. In both situations the performance of (and storage conditions throughout its life) the cigar is still a gamble. 

Yes, that was of course my jist. Risking less money but not a less risky venture. 

[Spanishcedar]

@Isaac 

Remember, it's just a cigar.

[Benzopyrene]

I don't feel depressed smoking ever, but bought a lot of "special" cigars through the years for a special occasion, then have a hard time finding the right time to smoke them. Then you will find something else......its an endless cycle. And to clarify everybody's special is different. For some it maybe something vintage, for some regionals, for others humidors. For me it is a combination of it all.....I'm a little obsessive compulsive, and have this desire to try everything. Apparently my wife thinks thats a problem :-)

[garbandz]

classifieds = fakes   too often.

 

harder to find single sticks at better prices  = fakes  too often

reward yourself for not falling for a scam ..........

[JLFIRST]

I've been extremely lucky to have smoked some very fine and in some cases, very rare singles or doubles. I wouldn't have passed up these for anything! You need to know the provanance and storage conditions for the life of these gems. Once known and trusted, enjoy the hell out of them!

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[PigFish]

All cigars are a crap-shoot. I see this as a budget issue. If you have no budget (unlimited budget) you have no issue! If this is going to stop you or impede you from finding cigars that you like that you can stock, don't waste your time.

I guess after all the cigars that I have smoked, I have come to realize that you don't know anything about a cigar buy smoking one or two of them. You can certainly say, "I smoked one, " for whatever that is worth. If the experience is worth something to you, follow your heart.

While I enjoy mainly cigars over 10YO, some no longer made, it is because I have them. When they are gone, they are gone and I will be forced to move on.

Enjoy your hunt and your conquests. -Piggy

[JLFIRST]

I enjoy having some htf variety in my singles tray

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[Puros Y Vino]

I got the same bug soon after I started smoking.  I chased down vintage cigars such as Cuban Davidoffs, various CC's from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90, etc. Some singles, when I got lucky, some whole boxes.  I even went after Clear Havana smokes from the 20's, 30's, 40's & 50's and found them to be rewarding smokes.  I've been really lucky this far in that I haven't ended up with a dud.  The "worst" experience was a Cuban Davidoff Dom Perignon.  It was a very light tasting cigar for the price.  Though I did enjoy having the opportunity to smoke one.  There were some interesting flavours nonetheless.

[ElPuro]

On 6/4/2017 at 7:39 PM, fabes said:

 

I think there is a fine line when the thrill of the hunt becomes more enjoyable than the actual cigar. 

Agree with this,  though the thrill of the hunt is an important part for many people. And there's nothing wrong with chasing if it's what you enjoy. Another form of collecting. Just expensive but, like gambling, must be careful to avoid addiction.

[CigarAsh]

On 6/5/2017 at 9:53 AM, Spanishcedar said:

@Isaac 

Remember, it's just a cigar.

You take that BACK!!! Just a cigar???!!!!????  

[canadianbeaver]

A good smoke is not hard to find.

[99call]

Unfortunately, chasing rare singles etc is both fraught with risk, and also.....is it's potential conclusion meaningless? 

As an enthusiast my goal is to firstly comprise my smoking stock. These are the highest quality, most complex, cheapest CC's available. They are intended to make me happy, and I think long and hard about how they will, and which are right for this purpose.

To me, the concept of having a humidor of 5000 expensive singles is an absolute nightmare. Are they good? are they bad? who knows. what do you do, if they are good?........go and get some more?   hmmmm, if someone has placed a shitload of effort in to finding one cigar, I doubt they can find another.   

Personally I have zero interest in one cigar experiences. That is not to say that if you pass me a R&J Shakespeare I wont tear it out your hands. but in all honesty, who wants a taste of honey, with no repeat?. It's for this reason I will only hunt  a 25 cigar minimum. You get to burn through 5, and on the basis of that, you either stop in your tracks and go "woooow baby! these are for the long haul, or you simple smoke through them.   If you repeat this process, you're simple smoking as you would wish, but constantly pushing the cream to the surface.

My other point is, if in a box of cigars, 5 are top performers, 5 of duds and 15 display the standard, then what does a collection of 5000 singles stand for?  Yes I concede it may be a very interesting  one full off possibilities, but if someone told me I had 1hr to live (in isolation without my missus) I would know exactly the cigars I would reach for. I wouldn't be looking at the old dusty Dunhill Cabineta, thinking (have you been sat on a radiator for the last 35 yrs?) I would be looking for the De Dieux, the 898, the Molino, the PRS no 11. 

Always o with you gut mate, but make sure if you smoke either a great cigar, or a bloody awful cigar, it's knowledge in the bank, and it has you one step closer to only smoking wonderful cigars in you retirement..............surely thats the dream?

[Toast & Taste]

My wife doesn't like it when I chase singles.

 

Big Al

[Toast & Taste]

I always revert to the code: Smoke what you like.

If it is rare and/or old single cigars, then do so. No matter what, you will have to eventually buy blind, meaning buy something that you have not smoked before. If you like the risk (meaning that you accept the risk) because of the potential positive reward, then do it.

I actually enjoy trying new sticks, even if I have to shell out a fair bit of coin and take some risk.

Smoke what you like; even if you don't yet know whether you like it.

Big Al

[srbbones]

https://www.cigarjournal.com/davidoff-vintage-cigars/

 

Interesting article on Cuban Davidoff availability dwindling.

[madandana]

On 8/4/2017 at 5:01 PM, 99call said:

Unfortunately, chasing rare singles etc is both fraught with risk, and also.....is it's potential conclusion meaningless? 

As an enthusiast my goal is to firstly comprise my smoking stock. These are the highest quality, most complex, cheapest CC's available. They are intended to make me happy, and I think long and hard about how they will, and which are right for this purpose.

To me, the concept of having a humidor of 5000 expensive singles is an absolute nightmare. Are they good? are they bad? who knows. what do you do, if they are good?........go and get some more?   hmmmm, if someone has placed a shitload of effort in to finding one cigar, I doubt they can find another.   

Personally I have zero interest in one cigar experiences. That is not to say that if you pass me a R&J Shakespeare I wont tear it out your hands. but in all honesty, who wants a taste of honey, with no repeat?. It's for this reason I will only hunt  a 25 cigar minimum. You get to burn through 5, and on the basis of that, you either stop in your tracks and go "woooow baby! these are for the long haul, or you simple smoke through them.   If you repeat this process, you're simple smoking as you would wish, but constantly pushing the cream to the surface.

My other point is, if in a box of cigars, 5 are top performers, 5 of duds and 15 display the standard, then what does a collection of 5000 singles stand for?  Yes I concede it may be a very interesting  one full off possibilities, but if someone told me I had 1hr to live (in isolation without my missus) I would know exactly the cigars I would reach for. I wouldn't be looking at the old dusty Dunhill Cabineta, thinking (have you been sat on a radiator for the last 35 yrs?) I would be looking for the De Dieux, the 898, the Molino, the PRS no 11. 

Always o with you gut mate, but make sure if you smoke either a great cigar, or a bloody awful cigar, it's knowledge in the bank, and it has you one step closer to only smoking wonderful cigars in you retirement..............surely thats the dream?

 

I tend to agree with this. I don't want just one cigar. What if I love it? I don't have any others to look forward to. Or if I don't like I would wonder if it was that one stick or maybe what I had it paired with or my ambient surroundings or whatever. Just my 2 cents. But what do I know?

[Ken Gargett]

i might be missing something here.

are you saying you have a chance to try a rare or perhaps discontinued stick or one that is considered to be a terrific smoke and you are thinking of saying no? assume fakes and price not an issue here. people are saying, well, i might not learn enough from smoking just one or i might really like it so that would be bad because i will probably never have the chance again? or am i missing something?

are we insane? of course you try it. there will be plenty of smokes in your life that you might only have one chance to try. why wouldn't you?

you will learn (if that is the intention) infinitely more from smoking one of them than from smoking none.

as for the 'i might like' them argument??? well good. one hopes so. you'd rather not like it because then it does not matter. i honestly can't understand that. surely better to have had the chance to enjoy it once than not?

think of this with wine (or probably any subject you might wish to insert). you would not try a great old bottle of wine because you might like it and be unlikely to get to try it again? crazy talk.

i had one opportunity to try the 78 romanee conti many years ago. now, there was every chance i would never get the chance to try it again and as it turns out, i never have. i should have said no? as it turned out, it was a touch corked so it was an unfortunate experience but i would still not have missed it. a couple of years ago, i did get the chance to try the 1929 romanee conti. there is almost no possibility i will ever see it again. a mindblowingly brilliant, extraordinary wine. i should have said no, because i'd never get the chance again?

be like saying i do not want to go to a springsteen concert because i might not get to another. madness.

[ElJavi76]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

i might be missing something here.

are you saying you have a chance to try a rare or perhaps discontinued stick or one that is considered to be a terrific smoke and you are thinking of saying no? assume fakes and price not an issue here. people are saying, well, i might not learn enough from smoking just one or i might really like it so that would be bad because i will probably never have the chance again? or am i missing something?

are we insane? of course you try it. there will be plenty of smokes in your life that you might only have one chance to try. why wouldn't you?

you will learn (if that is the intention) infinitely more from smoking one of them than from smoking none.

as for the 'i might like' them argument??? well good. one hopes so. you'd rather not like it because then it does not matter. i honestly can't understand that. surely better to have had the chance to enjoy it once than not?

think of this with wine (or probably any subject you might wish to insert). you would not try a great old bottle of wine because you might like it and be unlikely to get to try it again? crazy talk.

i had one opportunity to try the 78 romanee conti many years ago. now, there was every chance i would never get the chance to try it again and as it turns out, i never have. i should have said no? as it turned out, it was a touch corked so it was an unfortunate experience but i would still not have missed it. a couple of years ago, i did get the chance to try the 1929 romanee conti. there is almost no possibility i will ever see it again. a mindblowingly brilliant, extraordinary wine. i should have said no, because i'd never get the chance again?

be like saying i do not want to go to a springsteen concert because i might not get to another. madness.

Bravo Ken...I couldn't have said it better myself. Personally, I don't half step it. When I go for something I want, I go all in. I don't buy singles. I'd rather buy full boxes to 10ers even. I don't have infinite resources, but what the hell are we doing here... Enjoying ourselves or what? 

Remember men... You can't take it with you!

Cheers